The much-awaited Assassin’s Creed Shadows was set to release on November 15, 2024, but Ubisoft had other plans. Talks are that Ubisoft wanted to refine the game before finally releasing it. As a result, the launch date has been pushed to February 14, 2025. This came as a disappointment for a lot of players be assured that the patience will be worth it. Ubisoft has introduced new stealth gameplay mechanics in this latest edition of Assasin Creed that promises to make the game a lot more stealthy and fun. Let’s talk about it
New Stealth Mechanic: Observe
This new stealth mechanic is at the core of the Assassin’s Creed Shadows series. Players will now be able to identify, tag, and monitor enemies from a distance. Furthermore, players will also be able to highlight lootable stashes, various collectibles, and quest objectives. It also allows for an examination of nearby locations while on sync point. This will help both players communicate important information with each other. The Eagle Vision which has been a major part of the Assasin Creed series is still available but has a different function.
Unlike in the previous Assassin’s Creed Games, where the co-op games relied on the instincts of the players it was only up to them how to improvise in the moment. But with the new stealth mechanic in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the players will be able to strategize and cooperate a lot better together.
The New Stealth Philosophy
According to the franchise, stealth in the game has been revamped in many key areas.
Playing as Naoe and Yasuke
The dual protagonists of this game Naoe and Yasuke, both will have a different approach to stealth. Naoe has more stealth options than Yasuke. When it comes to the Eagle Vision feature only Naoe will have access to it. This feature gives players the ability to have an overhead view of the enemies and their location and mark them. Naoe also possesses some extra tricks like the ability to be invisible when hiding in shadows and barely making any noise while crouching. Shinobi bells and smoke bombs are at her disposal to distract and fool enemiesYasuke is less stealthy than Naoe but he still can take out enemies at close range with his bow.
Shinobi Moves
Hiding in the shadows will make you invisible to your enemies. Be it day or night. Players can utilize pockets of shadows at night and use them as a dynamic hiding spot. This applies to both interiors and exteriors. The ability to use shadows to your advantage allows you to study the environment and the surroundings first
Staying Low and Going Prone
Naoe now can move slowly while in a crouching position. This helps reduce the sound of footsteps and makes it harder for enemies to hear you. For the first time, Naoe and Yasuke are the first protagonists in the AC series that can go prone. This helps reduce your visibility to your enemies.
The Arsenal
Stealthy moves aren’t the only advantage Naoe has, these primary tools ensure quick kill and fool the enemies
- Smoke Bombs: as the name suggests it allows you to create a cloud of smoke and stealth kill low-rank enemies.
- Shinobi Bells: These come in handy when you have to distract your enemies. By throwing these balls near the enemies you can make them leave their post or position and sneak past them.
- Kunai: When aimed with precision, kunai can lead to heavy damage and even one-time kills
- Shuriken: These are sharp throwing weapons that stun enemies for a moment. You can also throw it into the environment to cause distraction.
The Naoe Advantage
Naoe is the smallest assassin of the series so far and that comes as an advantage in a lot of scenarios. She can squeeze through small cracks and hide in small containers.
Conclusion
Unlike the prior Assasin Creed games, the franchise has decided to make Shadows a more stealth-oriented game. Making players strategize a lot more than they used to. With its new stealth mechanic called the Observe players can now identify and tag enemies and stashable loots from a distance. The protagonists Naoe and Yasuke both possess stealthy abilities with Naoe being the superior one. The game is anticipated to launch next year. In the meantime, you can explore other Assassin’s Creed games.
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